A former Philadelphia police lieutenant who was caught on camera hitting a woman in the head at Puerto Rican Day festivities this September will be charged with simple assault, according to John McNesby, president of the Fraternal Order of Police

Daily News

Posted:
Wednesday, November 14, 2012, 5:00 PM

A former Philadelphia police lieutenant who was caught on camera hitting a woman in the head at Puerto Rican Day festivities this September will be charged with simple assault, according to John McNesby, president of the Fraternal Order of Police

McNesby said he was told by District Attorney Seth Williams that Lt. Jonathan Josey will be criminally charged. McNesby said Josey plans to turn himself in on Friday.

Philadelphia District Attorney spokeswoman Tasha Jamerson stressed that Josey has not yet been charged.

"It’s very inappropriate for anybody to be saying anything until someone has been charged and I can tell you no one has been charged with anything," she said.

Josey was seen on video hitting Aida Guzman of Chester twice in the head after a group of officers was sprayed with an unknown liquid while working crowd control following the Peurto Rican Day parade Sept. 30. Guzman received a personal apology from Mayor Michael Nutter for the events of that day.

McNesby said the FOP will defend Josey, who was suspended following the incident.

"We will stand behind him, with him, wherever," McNesby said. "It seems like there’s a double standard here in Philadelphia when it comes to police. If you’re going to charge him why aren’t you going to charge the female who assaulted him with whatever she poured on him?"

A disorderly conduct citation Guzman received that day was later dismissed by the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office.

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